10 Things I’ve Stopped Buying Recently

Clothes that I’m not looking for specifically. I’ve gotten a lot better recently about deciding what I’m missing in my closet and going on the hunt for it. For example, a while ago I realized that I was missing a floral midi skirt so I went online (and in-store) shopping to find what would be the best fit. Because of that, I truly love and use the skirt more than buying one I just saw it and liked it at the store.

Journals. I am the worst at working my way through journals. I find these have mostly accumulated through work or school activities, so now I’m just having to say no in favor of finishing the ones I already own and like.

Boxes to mail packages in. I’m in the process of trying to sell a whole bunch of my clothes on Poshmark (check out my closet here if you’re interested). Instead of going out and buying packages to mail things in (which would further reduce my cut of the sale), I’ve been saving the packaging that I receive things in when I order.

School supplies. Like journals, I tend to hoard extra pens, pencils, staples, and paper clips. For the amount of paper I staple or clip in a given week, I need about 1/10th of what I have. New supplies were always such a ritual for me upon the beginning of the year and it has taken a conscious effort to remember my desk drawers.

Mugs. While I do have more mugs than I really need I’ve allowed myself to keep the ones that bring me joy (and allow me to drink until we run the dishwasher).

Duplicates of things I already own. Whether it’s groceries or items around the house, I’ve been more consciously thinking about what I have, what I need, and where everything is. This usually means evaluating my items (food, or otherwise) and then creating a specific shopping list. I can eliminate extra items in my apartment, useless spending, and waste, by being proactive!

Things that my roommate already owns. In this whole moving process, we realized how many things we individually almost bought that would be duplicated. I can understand things like food products or drinks, or even plates or cups, but you don’t each need your own toaster. Worst case scenario, you can buy one when you move out.

Bottled body wash / shaving cream. I’ve switched over almost exclusively to bar soap (Dr. Bronner’s peppermint is my favorite) because it is better for the environment (limiting plastic) and it travels easily (I just use Tupperware). I used to have such a stigma against bar soap, but I’ve grown to love it.

Plastic straws or disposable cups. In addition to helping the planet (two pieces of many things I’m trying to do), I feel pretty cool bringing out my own straws or to-go mug (where sometimes you can get a discount!) at a restaurant or coffee shop. While this doesn’t feel “minimal” to own extra things, I just own one to-go mug instead of using hundreds.

What have you stopped purchasing as you’ve begun the minimalismjourney? Let me know in the comments below!

This isn’t an exhaustive list (or even the things that I merely decluttered, just things I’ve stopped buying) – let me know if you want further iterations of this list!

2 Comments

Emily

September 5, 2018 / 8:07 am

Love this! I’ve gone through a similar process with my clothes over the last couple of years and find that I actually enjoy everything I own. I recently moved into a bigger space, so I’m now consciously buying items that I love, not just items that fill an empty space (but for whatever reason, this is extremely hard for me!). Thanks for sharing Def on the journal train with you.